150th Anniversary Celebrations Report, Secunderabad
by Lakshman T.
2002-04-18
Yesterday was one of the crowning moments of my 14 year old railfanning stint as I got in and up close to the beauty of yesteryears the YP class.
It all started with me taking leave for a day from office and the previous evening rushed out and got a roll of film. I couldnt sleep well all night you guess why anyway got up bang ay 6.00AM and dressed up and rushed off to SC to catch the 6.50 local train to BMO as it would avoid the road and blockades the train was packed with police guys and railway staff and one senior staff even applied leave to come and see the event and he said nothing could beat steam.
Anyway reached BMO 10 min late at 07.35 HRS and I was looking for the YP which was blocked by the BMO-nizambad passenger anyway I saw the funnel of smoke form the tender and rushed down as the station was quite deserted at that hour and as I crossed the platform I saw the YP silently flanked by two YDM4's of mly shed I instantly pulled out my camera like a Jedi with a light saber and started clicking away .
Next I went up clsoe and started clicking the loco from all angles and capturing all the minute details with the presence of 6 cops who didnt mind. Anyway after that I saw a guy with a digicam taping the scene and he was taping commentary into the camera. After that I went and asked the SR locoo foreman who was in the loco if I could get in he said yes and then it was great moment for me when I stepped into the loco I was like a kid who learnt to walk unaided for the first that was the thrill I experienced .
I then started clicking away in all possible angles and took the controls the fire box the coal tender etc and it was smoking inside the loco it was very hot and soon the GM of SCR also got into the loco and enquired about various aspects of the loco I could not speak to him later I also clambered down from the loco and took some shots of the rake with the board "heritage special". Then I went up to loco and asked the loco foreman if I could pose with the YP he asked me to hop in and on railwayman took a photo of a rail fan .
Then I went a little ahead as the security started building up and positioned myself about a Km outside the station near the outer signal and it was quite close to the air force station and had the continious company of Jets and helicopter every 5 min .
I waited for the train at the signal for well over 1 and half hour thats right one and half hour and then it came in at distance on a curve and it was awesome I went into a frenzy and started clicking as the crowd in the train cheered me and the loco guys blew a long blast as they went past the curve it was great then I walked down to BMO station and saw some light YDM4 one behind another I Clicked them and also clicked a snap of the WDM2 18879 KZJ which brought pass for this train from SC.
Then I waited till 14.00 for the train to come but it didnt so I came back home in teh BMO-SC local what a great day it was a dream of 12 years fulfilled when I first saw the YP at LGD shed in my childhood when it was shunting.